Rack



Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES RACK John C. James, Melrose Park, Ill.,

Alfon James assignor to Application October 16, 1933, Serial No. 693,702

4 Claims.

The invention relates generally to hangers or racks, and more particularly to racks for supporting elongated flexible articles such as neck ties, towels, trousers or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide such a rack for supporting a plurality of articles, and adapted to be easily mounted in an out-of-the-way location on the wall of a closet or other room.

Another object is to provide such a rack for elongated flexible articles, which rack is adapted for movement between two positions, in one of which the hanging operation is-easily performed,

and in the other of which the articles are held against displacement and wrinkling.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a rack embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the rack.

Fig. 3 is'a front elevational view of the rack showing it in another position.

While my invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms and sizes, I have shown in the drawing and will herein describe in detail one such embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exempliflcation of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the in-. vention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the form chosen for disclosure herein, the invention is embodied in a hanger having a bracket 10 adapted to be secured on a wall 11 by means such as a screw 12, and supporting an elongated carrier or rack 13 upon which a plurality of elongated flexible articles 14 may be carried. The bracket 10 is, in the present instance, formed from sheet metal to provide at one edge, preferably the lower, a curled hinge loop 15, which in the mounted bracket-is positioned in a substantially horizontal location.

The preferred embodiment of the invention herein illustrated provides for shifting of the rack between two positions, the first of which is a loading position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the second of which is an inactive out-of-the-way position shown in Fig. 3. This end is attained in the present case by pivoting the rack 13 on the bracket 10, a rock shaft 16 being provided at one end of the rack and extending through the hinge ;loop 15 of the bracket. Thus the rack may be pivoted about a substantially horizontal axis between its two positions.

As illustrated, 'the rack intended and adapted for use in supporting neck ties, and hence the bracket 10 and the rack 13 are relatively narrow in a horizontal direction, and are of relatively light construction. In order that a plurality of ties 14 may be supported with equal facility in either of the two positions of the rack, it is formed to provide a plurality of parallel horizontal bars 17 which are spaced a substantial distance laterally from each other, and which are, of course, parallel to the rock shaft 16 of the, rack. Thus the bars 17 are maintainedin a horizontal position at all times. This construction is preferably obtained by forming all of the bars 17 and the shaft 16 from a single piece of relatively heavy, stiff wire, which may be bent to a sinuous form to provide a plurality of bars 17 with connecting members 18 joining alternate adjacent ends of the bars. 1

Thus, a U-shaped space A is provided between two adjacent bars 1'1 (Fig. 1) which space is open at one end and is closed at its other end by the connecting member 18. Between one of these bars 1'7 and the next adjacent bar 17, a similar space B is provided, but in space B the open end is located at the end opposite the open end of the space A. Any desired number of bars 17 and spaces may be provided within the practical limits set by the strength of the material and the permissible length of the rack 13.

In the use of the device, the rack 13 in its loading position projects away from the wall 11, preferably horizontally as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to facilitate the placing of ties 14 thereon. Preferably, means is provided for locking the rack 13 in its loading position, and to this end the present embodiment provides for releasable inter-engagement of the rack 13 and the bracket 10. Such engagement is permitted by oil-setting the lower portion of the bracket 10 (adjacent to the loop 15) outwardly away from the wall as shown in Fig; 2 at 19, and providing 8. lug 20 on the rock shaft 16 for engagement beneath the offset 19 of the bracket 10.

The lug 20 may be provided in a simple manner by. reversely bending the end of the rock shaft 18 as shown in Fig. 3, and by proportioning the parts to permit longitudinal movement of the shaft 16, the desired engagement of the lug with the bracket may be effected.

Assuming the rack 13 to be in its suspended or inactive positionof Fig. 3, the user desiring to hand, although better results are attained by the use of both hands. Thus in such a hanging operation, the tie-is grasped by the two hands at points spaced longitudinally thereof, and the intermediate portion of the tie is held in substantially vertical position while it is moved into one of the spaces A. The upper hand is then moved downwardly to bring the tie through the open end of the adjacent space B so that the tie is looped over the bar 17 lying between the two spaces A and B.

Having adjusted the tie on the bar, the rack is moved laterally to release the lug 20 and the rack is lowered to its inactive, out-of-the-way position shown in Fig. 3, in which position the ties overlie one another and tend to prevent displacement and wrinkling thereof.-

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides a hanger or rack which is of simple and rugged construction and which supports the articles in such a mannor as to minimize the possibility of their being wrinkled or displaced. Moreover, the hanging or loading operation is simple in character, thereby promoting proper and continued use of the device. In particular, it will be noted that the connecting members at opposite ends of each of the rack bars prevent displacement of the tie in either direction, even though the tie hangs loosely on the bar.

I claim as my invention:

1. A holder of the character described comprising a supporting bracket, an elongated rack member having a plurality of rack bars extending transversely thereof in spaced substantially parallel relation, connecting members joining alternate adjacent ends of the bars to form a substantially rigid assembly, and provide relatively wide spaces between the rack bars, which spaces open alternately in opposite directions endwise of the bars, a rock shaft fixed at one end of the rack member parallel to said bars, and means on said bracket providing a bearing for supporting said rock shaft for movement about a substantially horizontal axis when thebracket is mounted on a wall.

2. A holder for neck ties or the like, comprising a supporting bracket adapted to be mounted .on a wall, an elongated rack member having a plurality of rack bars positioned in substantially parallel spaced relation, connecting members joining alternate adjacent ends of the bars to form a substantially rigid assembly and provide relatively wide spaces between the rack bars, which spaces open alternately in opposite directions endwise of the rack bars, a rock shaft fixed at one end of the rack member substantially parallel to said rack bars, means on said bracket providing a bearing supporting saidrock shaft for pivotal and limited axial movement, and means operable in such axial movement of the rack member and rock shaft to lock the rack member in a position wherein the rack bars are spaced from the wall on which the bracket is mounted.

3. A device of the class described comprising a rack member formed from an elongated element.

bent to a sinuous shape to provide a plurality of substantially straight rack bars joined at their alternate ends and positioned in substantially parallel relation with substantial spaces therebetween, the end one of said bars forming a rock shaft for mounting said rack member, a bracket formed from sheet metal and having a hinge loop curled at one edge to surround and provide rotatable and sliding bearing for said rock shaft, said bracket being offset to provide a mounting portion spaced from said curl adapted to be secured fiat against a wall so as to space said curl and a portion of the bracket from said wall, and a reversely bent end on said rock shaft adapted by axial shifting of said shaft to move under the bracket and lock the rack in a projecting position.

4. A holder of the class described comprising a rack member formed from an elongated element bent to sinuous form to provide a plurality of substantially straight rack bars joined at their alternate ends and positioned in substantially parallel spaced relation, the end one of said bars forming a rock shaft for mounting said rack member, a bracket formed from sheet metal to provide a rotatable and slidable bearing for said rock shaft, said bracket being adapted to be secured on a wall, and a bent end on said rock shaft adapted in axial movement of the shaft in said bearing to engage with said bracket and lock said rack member in a position wherein it projects away from the wall on which the bracket is mounted.

JOHN 0. JAMES. 

